Rhodochrosite (old, circa late 1800's)

Item Description

A historic, OLD, Park County, Colorado rhodochrosite specimen from the Herb Obodda dealer stock. Rich rose-red, translucent and lustrous, rhodochrosite cleavages are embedded in the granitic matrix which includes PURPLE fluorite and sulfides. Comes with an old Foote label glued to the back. The "Rich Pink By Artificial Light" label is significant and helps to date this piece. Major Eastern US cities were electrified for incandescent lighting in the 1880s. "Artificial Light" was a novelty, when this Foote specimen was first sold. The purple fluorite may indicate that this is a very early Sweet Home Mine specimen from the 1880s. A historic and documented must for the locality or species collector. $1.50 was EXPENSIVE in the 1880s, as $1.00 would buy a superb English calcite, at the time. Value of such an old documented Colorado rarity???